I googled 4040 and found the image all over the place, but the original
was from a defunct (as of 2008) web site called
www.theintelcollection.com A copyright notice on it was The Intel
Collection (c) 2006 - Lee Gallagher
that link is via:
http://www.chipdb.org/member.php?action=showprofile&user_id=22
The image is interesting if it is actually of the chip because it has
what may be a true intel working date for the date code. All of the
other hits are using some other method, maybe a die number or sequence
to track the part. the one listed is marked 7505, which would be near
the first availability of the part. Someone on the Boing Boing comment
picked up and says the ES indicates this is true.
The engineering samples are rare, but not at this level. I'd think
you'd need a 4004 or earlier part of some note to have anything
approaching 10000 bucks (from me if I had it). I have seen a lot of NDA
parts out there as outfits fold, and someone posts the junk boxes, so an
NDA part (or maybe Engineering Sample) in and of itself is not that
rare. However Intel was really going at the time this part came out, so
it isn't as historic as a 4004 would be.
That said, most of those parts were not for sale, so one wonders how a
prototype or sample or early availability Intel part ended up in hong kong.
which brings up the second point, if you want it, I don't think I'd be
wiring or paypal'ing the money to Honk Kong, but rather flying first
class (only probably $20,000) with cash in hand to purchase it and bring
it back.
Anyone know what other than the Intellec mentioned in the article that
the 4004 was used in? Anything significant, early routers? other
functions. That would push up the value if it was more significant in
its use to advance Intel or the industry.
Jim
On 1/8/2012 7:54 PM, Evan Koblentz wrote:
Perhaps quite a lot, but not $800,000. :)
Ebay #190404561375